“The public will be able to come face to face with people who lived over 700 years ago and understand how they died.

“There were 10 sieges at the castle around the time the skeletons were buried, not to mention the Battle of Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn. “

Richard Strachan, Historic Scotland’s senior archaeologist, said:

“The skeletons were a remarkable find and provided an incredibly rare opportunity to learn more about life and death in medieval Scotland.

“The new research has brought some quite incredible results.

“It was unusual for people to be buried under the floor of a royal chapel and we suspected that they must have been pretty important people who died during periods of emergency – perhaps during the many sieges which took place.

“The fact that five of the skeletons suffered broken bones, consistent with beatings or battle trauma, suggests this could be what happened. “

Experts believe Knight was a battle veteran, as he had a deep, but healed, scar on his forehead. They believe he could have been the victim of a Scottish archer.

A corroded iron arrow head was found close to his spine. Unfortunately the bones of his spine were not well preserved and no evidence of any injury could be seen.

He may have died as a result of a soft tissue injury or haemorrhaging after being shot by the arrow – but it is also possible that the arrowhead was a chance inclusion in the grave.

The lady, believed to be high-born, could have been killed by a war hammer. Her skull had 10 fractures on the right side, resulting from two heavy blows.

Experts suggest the attacker was above the woman – perhaps on horseback while she was on foot, or the blows to the side of her head could have brought her to the ground.

Dr Jo Buckberry, biological anthropology lecturer and experimental officer at the University of Bradford’s Biological Anthropology Research Centre, said:

“What we discovered from this research is enormously exciting and has far-reaching implications for our understanding of medieval warfare. “

Visitors will be able to see the reconstructions at the grand opening of the palace on June 4 and 5.